Fawns in the Forest
Prancing Fawns Following the events of the Magic Knight exams, many young mages could be seen trailing into the streets, some sad, some defeated, and little to none with smiles on their faces. This was not an odd sight to see at a place such as this. The exams are not a simple task to complete, albeit, even harder to do well in. Despite the large amount of sadness at these events, there was still an aura of happiness and greatness. To some this was a chance to start again, to do better next year and improve their magics in order to protect the country they hold dear. For the 1% of mages who gradutated to the role of Magic Knight, this was the day their dreams would be realized, their start on the path towards greatness, some longer than others. Among the many chariots that would stand just outside of the gates, one would stand out more than the others. This chariot was covered in diamonds and gold, a pattern reminiscent of castles and mansions, screaming nobility. Though, the most striking part of the chariot wasn't even the chariot in itself, but the woman who stood in front of it. The woman stood high above all around her. She was shrouded in an aura of dignification and grace, but above all, she was beautiful, truly a sight for sore eyes. This woman was none other than the notorious captain of the Azure Deers, Sapphira Diamante. "I hope they can find me in this crowd. I'm sure I could've made the chariot far more striking, I hope they're not lost." Sapphira thought to herself, slightly nervous as she normally was at these events. She stood watching the gates frantically, awaiting the arrival of her young fawns. Piper was enchanted by her new sights as she bubbled in excitement, that or her empty stomach was churning at the idea she had to meet her captain properly. The physical city held so many new adventures for Piper and she took her own time to explore a little, to get used to the new area she would be calling a home. It was during this wandering that she had actually found Sapphira. Piper had gotten excited over the chariots, each passing one getting grander until she stopped at Azure Deers. The girls eyes glittered around the jewels and designs of the chariot in awe. This was like something she could only imagine in a sort of dream, a dream where her family no longer had to worry. This child-like fantasy was busted when she wandered up to Sapphira, her eyes still glittering from the chariot. "It's so pretty, I am sure Alex would screw up his nose but my other siblings..." she paused again as Piper daydreamed the idea of the chariot in front of their house. It really would be a dream, after all, the chariot seemed almost bigger than her house itself. “Thank you, I actually crafted this one myself.” Sapphira said with pride and joy, mostly directed at the preciousness of her newest recruit. “There’s even more where this came from, just wait till you see the base and your quarters!” Sapphira said with a sparkle in her eyes, staring in awe at her newest recruit, almost as though she could peer into the future to see what Thai young girl would amount to under her tutelage. Piper could barely contain her excitement at this point. "I am excited for Beatrix to come over then, I am sure together it will be lots of fun at the knights!" She finally managed to separate herself from them. Never had she seen her parents so overzealous. Even now they followed her, either asking her if she had everything or that if she had "second thoughts" it was "ok". It was quite a scene at this point, with several passerby staring. "YES I PACKED A TOOTHBRUSH AND SOAP. Gods above," she complained. While Trix knew neither of them was enthused about her choosing this path (she did start a year later than she could have after all), it was her decision. Especially when she had the sneaking suspicion her presence antagonized some of the higher ups in her family. Good think she wasn't a diplomat. Her relief was palpable as she saw Sapphira's chariot come into view. Honestly, with its impressive size and countless glittering jewels, it would be impossible to miss. "See? There she is. I'm fine. I have everything I need, and yes, I'm still doing this." She gave each mom a quick hug before running towards the waiting chariot, captain, and her fellow recruit. "Hey Piper, long time no see," she grinned, setting a bag down before hugging the girl. She then turned and gave a slight bow to Sapphira. "I look forward to being under your tutelage, Captain Sapphira. Nice ride by the way." Piper looked at small leather bag she had carried since she got here and then at Trix stuff after accepting the hug with a smile. "Wow, you have stuff," Piper commented. Her bag felt very light seeing as it only held the bare essentials she owned. "It is nice seeing you again too though Beatrix. I hope we both grow well together in our new squad!" Beatrix shook her head. "It's not that much. I only took what was necessary; I like to pack light." She noted the small leather bag Piper was holding. "We will; this a good squad to be in if we're going to build each other up. I wonder what's for lunch." Sapphira was more than happy to see her two new recruits getting along. "You'll see your lunch soon enough, I'll brief you on today's plans once we're on the road towards your new home away from home." Sapphira spoke in a delighted tone as she entered the carriage motioning the girls to hop in behind her. Piper took a moment, looking at her rather worn boots. They were covered in mud from her work and so she felt a bit uncomfortable to enter such a clean and almost shining carriage. She decided to pretend the dirt wasn't there - seeing as her socks were in a sorry state as well - and dare to have to clean up later. Sitting down the biggest anxiety and excitement combo Piper had for a long while. "Uh, so where is this 'new home away from home'?" "Great, looking forward to it." Trix picked up her bag before climbing into the carriage. She then stretched a little, settling in. "Seconded. What's it like? Anything grand? Or something a bit more reserved?" Her mind then drifted to what was in store for the day. "It's more than grand! It's singlehandedly one of the most luxurious mansions in the world and it also doubles as the base of operations for the Azure Deers!" Sapphira said enthusiastically as her two newest recruits stepped into the carriage. She noticed the tenseness in Piper's body as she stepped into the carriage, muddying the floors as she did so. "Don't mind the dirt, I'll give the stairs a wipe down later and have the carpet cleaned." Sapphira said with a soft smile aimed at the young girl. "How grand are we talking? Larger than a city block? More expensive than the city itself? What materials is it made of?" Beatrix asked, becoming more invested. Given how accessorized their mode of transportation, she couldn't help but begin imagining where they were headed. Each mental image she conjured up was gaudier and more imposing than the last. What if it was an emerald city? Or a castle of sapphire? Maybe of ruby mansion. Something told her Sapphira would be in favor of such a glittering structure. Piper blushed a little, she felt very out of place. "I-I will be fine with anything as long as we are safe and sound..." she started to mutter and play with her hair. The excitement was still bustling but now the nerves were kicking into full gear, not only that she hadn't really talked to anyone of status before... or really anyone other than her family for that matter. Piper was a reserved girl who had spent her time talking to a few fellow neighbours for a deal at most. There was a slight temptation to curl up into a ball and hide, but Piper tried to control her urges. She was a Magic Knight, she was sure that meant something. "A place to write home would also do nicely... My family won't know the results until then." "It's basically a city in itself." Sapphira got a small glint in her eyes as she spoke of her beloved home. "Château Diamante is far more than just it's main attractions, the entirety of House Diamante and all its extensions live within the estate and not only that but we also house many Azure Deer facilities." Sapphira was giddy, her meeting with her new recruits was going well, though she noticed a slight displacement in Piper as she spoke and sat across from her, as their new captain, Sapphira was determined to clear her of her worries. "Piper, there's also something I think you'll like about Château Diamante. We allow commoners to live on the estate, though most of them are family members to the Azure Deer members, we have no problem making a place more humble for you, the noble lifestyle isn't coveted by everyone you know!" Sapphira ranted on, directed towards her new rookie in training, in an attempt to make her more comfortable. "So, are you both ready to get a move on?" Sapphira said with a smile, addressing both of the girls. Beatrix smirked as her imagination only pushed further out, now envisioning an emerald city. She didn't want to know how much it cost to construct it. "Of course, I want to see this place for myself; see if it measures up to my imagination and the house's extravagance." Trixie mentally tucked herself in for the long haul; it was finally happening.